Help!!!!!! CAR WON'T START after working on electric window regulator

[biggee30 0]

Hi all

Today I started to repalce the electric window regulator on my drivers rear and everthing was going smoothly until I put the brand new one in and connected the motor up.The bloody thing jammed half way up.So I mangaed to get the glass and regultor back out and it seems the plastic clip that moves up and down is loose and comes out the runner easy(never spotted this before I put it in) so I think the metal wire inside the cog is faulty so will have to take back to the local VW parts dept.

More importantly I checked the window motor and its is working fine on its own so I tidied everthing up and left the door tempoarily in bits until I can get the new part.

However I went to start the car and it wont fire up.I can hear the starter motor clicking in and out when I turn the key.

The immobilser switches on and off.

Radio/windows/lights work fine

One thing the dash clock resets to zero ever time I try to sart the car.

I have not tried to jump start the car yet.

I have the basic vag com diagnostics and I have no faults on the modules that I can test

Hopefully someone can give me some pointers/advice

cheers

[biggee30 0]

update

tried jump starting -NO JOY-even had some smoke coming from negative terminal on battery so stopped trying to jump start it.

After that every time i turned the key I could here the starter motor moving like a "gattling gun" so I thought try giving the starter motor a slight tap and after that the starter motor makes no noise when turning key

Battery voltage across terminals is 11.69 volts

Im hoping for a flat battery but it wont start by jumping and if I remove it to recharge I dont have security pin for original stereo from new.Why would this happen after working on electric window

Car is a 97 highline only covered 30,000 miles

ANYBODY?

[jezmoz 0]

does sound like a flat battery with the clicking noise, What are you trying to jump it with? You'll need something half decent in terms of power to jump start it, put the negative jump lead onto a metal part of the engine bay and not the battery, You might have had the door ajar for sometime whilst working on it, interior light may have been on and flattened the battery? Let us know how you get on.

[biggee30 0]

does sound like a flat battery with the clicking noise' date=' What are you trying to jump it with? You'll need something half decent in terms of power to jump start it, put the negative jump lead onto a metal part of the engine bay and not the battery, You might have had the door ajar for sometime whilst working on it, interior light may have been on and flattened the battery? Let us know how you get on.

[/quote']

good point about the interior light I had the door open for a good couple of hours

I had the jump leads(which are not the big) connected to the battery negative

Is the battery voltage of 11.69 not enough?

What is the rapid clicking nosise of the starter motor?

why does the odometer time clock go back to zero every time i try to start

cheers

[saichy 1]

check ypur fuses aswel mate i had the clocks reseting when a fuse went in mine carnt remember which one it was tho but mite be worth a check.

[biggee30 0]

check ypur fuses aswel mate i had the clocks reseting when a fuse went in mine carnt remember which one it was tho but mite be worth a check.

thanks I checked the ones that I thought might be relevant but I haven't pulled and checked each one individually-do you think that would effect the starting?

[biggee30 0]

check ypur fuses aswel mate i had the clocks reseting when a fuse went in mine carnt remember which one it was tho but mite be worth a check.

thanks I checked the ones that I thought might be relevant but I haven't pulled and checked each one individually-do you think that would effect the starting?

[spindat45 0]

This definately sounds like a battery with not enough power to turn the engine over. The clicking noise is the solenoid on the starter but as it doesn't have enough power it won't actually turn the engine over. As suggested, get a decent set of jump leads and jump it or stick you battery on charge. Almost certainly caused by having the interior light on for a while when the door was open. The clock will reset because every time you turn the key to start the engine all the remaining power in the battery goes into trying to turn the engine over. Once its charged all should be well, If VR's were't so damn heavy I''d say bump start it and and take it for a long good drive . Once you get it going, check the charging rate. From memory It shouldn't be less than 13.8v when the engine is running. Might also be an idea to check the state of the battery ( a drop test) to see if its holding a charge. A dead cell battery can be fine one minute then appear to be flat the next. Hope you get it sorted.

Kevin.

[biggee30 0]

This definately sounds like a battery with not enough power to turn the engine over. The clicking noise is the solenoid on the starter but as it doesn't have enough power it won't actually turn the engine over. As suggested' date=' get a decent set of jump leads and jump it or stick you battery on charge. Almost certainly caused by having the interior light on for a while when the door was open. The clock will reset because every time you turn the key to start the engine all the remaining power in the battery goes into trying to turn the engine over. Once its charged all should be well, If VR's were't so damn heavy I''d say bump start it and and take it for a long good drive . Once you get it going, check the charging rate. From memory It shouldn't be less than 13.8v when the engine is running. Might also be an idea to check the state of the battery ( a drop test) to see if its holding a charge. A dead cell battery can be fine one minute then appear to be flat the next. Hope you get it sorted.

Kevin.

[/quote']

thanks kevin

Can you give me a bit more detail on how to do the tests for the battery that you mention

thanks Graham

[biggee30 0]

Morning all

Battery removed today and it’s the original VW battery from new.

There is an indicator at the top which I never noticed before which is the colour BLACK.

I think it’s a maintenance free one which means it may take a bit longer to recharge and also I cannot remove the plugs to check the electrolyte levels and vent the gases when recharging (am I right)

Battery voltage across terminals with a multimeter 11.59 volts

Cheers

[biggee30 0]

Morning all

I charged the car battery using an old “SELMAR†charger (older than the car) which had a analogue dial charge indicator which started just on the line between low and med between 2 and 3 amps. As the battery charged the needle went down into the green zone (o-2 amps)

Anyway I charged the battery for 24hrs and had a multimeter reading of 13.5volts, which settled down to 12.69volts.The battery indicator was still black but funnily as I was carrying it out to the car I could see the indictor is green in certain daylight. I shown a torch on it in place but it still looks black.

Connected up and started first time!!!!

Voltage when off 12.69v

Voltage on tick over 14.13v

So hopefully the problem was a flat battery and I will monitor it and remember to SWITCH OFF the interior light when working on door window

Thanks to all who posted and hopefully I can return the favour sometime

Cheers

[thegoth 5]

Kevin.

thanks kevin

Can you give me a bit more detail on how to do the tests for the battery that you mention

thanks Graham

I've never heard of a battery drop test, but you can get gizmos quite cheap that tell you the state of the battery and charging circuit: http://www.screwfix.com/prods/14456/Automotive/Battery-Chargers-Starters/Battery-Alternator-Tester?cm_re=SEARCHPROMO-_-BATTERY%20TESTER-_-14456#

It is basically just a volt meter but has easy to understand lights ,and instructions on test conditions.

Anyway, glad you got it started.

TG

[biggee30 0]

Kevin.

thanks kevin

Can you give me a bit more detail on how to do the tests for the battery that you mention

thanks Graham

I've never heard of a battery drop test' date=' but you can get gizmos quite cheap that tell you the state of the battery and charging circuit: http://www.screwfix.com/prods/14456/Automotive/Battery-Chargers-Starters/Battery-Alternator-Tester?cm_re=SEARCHPROMO-_-BATTERY%20TESTER-_-14456#

It is basically just a volt meter but has easy to understand lights ,and instructions on test conditions.

Anyway, glad you got it started.

TG

[/quote']

thanks TG

Looks like a worthwile piece of kit for not a lot of pennies to monitor my battery performance

G

[ingham 5]

A battery drop test is a test that battery sales places use as if you hold on too long it warps the plates inside and the battery and you have to buy another..its just a big resistor and amp meter that you put across the terminals (you are only meant to hold it on for a very short time)

[thegoth 5]

Aaaah, voltage drop test. We do drop tests at work which consist of dropping stuff 1.5m to see if it breaks. Couldn't quite see how that would test a battery. Lol.

[spindat45 0]

A battery drop test is a test that battery sales places use as if you hold on too long it warps the plates inside and the battery and you have to buy another..its just a big resistor and amp meter that you put across the terminals (you are only meant to hold it on for a very short time)

Quite right Ingham. 3-5 seconds max. I used to be a mechanic and we had a drop tester in the workshop. Came in handy in the winter when most dead cell batteries start giving trouble but not an everyday piece of kit.

I only just checked this post again but glad you got it sorted Biggee. Your charging voltage on idle was fine. Any thing from 13.8 to 14.2 volts. The sealed for life batteries like the one you have can't be vented when being recharged so a slow charge is best imo. I prefer the ones you can check and top up.

Kevin

[Devildub_06 0]

Aaaah' date=' voltage drop test. We do drop tests at work which consist of dropping stuff 1.5m to see if it breaks. Couldn't quite see how that would test a battery. Lol.

[/quote']

Don't work at JM do you?? lol

[thegoth 5]

Aaaah' date=' voltage drop test. We do drop tests at work which consist of dropping stuff 1.5m to see if it breaks. Couldn't quite see how that would test a battery. Lol.

[/quote']

Don't work at JM do you?? lol

Not yet, Plasmon up in Melbourn. But I wouldn't be the first to jump ship to JM if I did.

[Devildub_06 0]

I just threw that out there as a joke lol!! But there are jobs going...